Lake Ozark Wing Ding grows to 22 participants

Wednesday

Sep 24, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 24, 2008 at 8:04 PM

Make no mistake, the crew from Andy’s Hickory Pit intends to win. Andy Comstock, owner of the restaurant in Eldon, says he’s planning to walk away a winner after the judges sample their way through wings from 22 different restaurants. On Thursday night, Comstock and his “pit crew” head to the Wing Ding Extravaganza at Paul’s Supermarket in Lake Ozark to take on the big guys from around the lake in the annual event.

Joyce L. Miller

Make no mistake, the crew from Andy’s Hickory Pit intends to win.

Andy Comstock, owner of the restaurant in Eldon, says he’s planning to walk away a winner after the judges sample their way through wings from 22 different restaurants. On Thursday night, Comstock and his “pit crew” head to the Wing Ding Extravaganza at Paul’s Supermarket in Lake Ozark to take on the big guys from around the lake in the annual event. Comstock’s goal is to come home a winner while helping raise money for a worthy cause.

Heading into the competition, getting 1,600 wings ready takes some preparation and organization, but it will all be worth it when he wins, Comstock said.

As a newcomer to the competition, Comstock said he’s looking forward to the challenge and is hoping to see hundreds of hungry wing lovers on hand to sample his own special recipe.

After smoking for more than three hours over hickory chips, the dry rub that is the secret of Comstock’s signature wings seeps into the meat, giving a full flavor that would to be hard to beat on its own, but there’s more to an Andy’s wing. The final step in the preparation is a good dousing of each wing in Comstock’s sauce that leaves the palate with a southern flavor with a touch of fire and a hint of sweet.

The wings are garnished with a little green onion to add a touch of color before being served up to wing fanatics.

“It’s that fire and sweet combination that makes our wings just too good to leave alone,” Comstock said. The rub and sauce are his own recipe.

In the eight years since its inception, the Wing Ding has become a hotly contested competition that has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Easter Seals Missouri. It is a coveted prize among the chefs who spend hours perfecting their recipe.

It’s no easy task to please a panel of admitted wing addicts and the competition from some of the old-timers who have taken part in years past will be tough.